Tears Come
by AnonymousT
Summary: [CH. 3] Tears come falling from those eyes. Those eyes that see misery and despair. Those eyes that hold a glimmer of hope. Those eyes that are hidden from everyone...by an enchanted mask. SxS AU
1. From Behind the Mask

Hello, Readers.   
Is everything well? Hehe...anyways, I thank you for clicking into this fanfic. It truly thought out the whole situation and story, unlike my other one (oooh, I am ashamed). I've had this plot in my head for months and I've waited until summer to put this out. This story is an action/adventure/romance/drama/fantasy fic. Yes, a lot of slashes but it's all good. I couldn't fit the whole thing in the spot fanfiction.net put there for us. This is also going to be rated PG-13 for some violence...since there is a war going on.

**Tears Come  
Chapter One: From Behind the Mask**

Weapons. The necessity of war.  
  
Poverty. The result of war.  
  
Death. The tears of war.  
  
War. It will be the death of us all.  
  
_ I can't take it anymore. I, a girl...a princess, cannot do anything, but watch. I hear them – I hear them screaming for a savior. I see everything from my protected shelter. I see the setting, burning sun hovering over the horizon. Or perhaps it is not the warm sun I love...It is the fire and the explosions of war I despise.  
_  
She heard their yells, their helpless pleas, to redeem them from this outbreak of armed and treacherous men. But she could not. She was powerless. She was a weak woman. She was a princess. She longed to deliver them, but it was unspeakable for a woman to touch blood or to even witness the sight of it.  
  
While she pondered these feeble thoughts, Sakura strayed from her majestic room towards her brother's in search of a scheme.  
  
Suddenly, she paused. Nothing could purge these thoughts. Even if she did ask her brother for advice, he would not allow for her to go anywhere outside these stone-cold walls.

Sakura looked around her. Pictures, flags, and torches were hanging from the walls she grew up with - from the moment her life began. And here she was, criticizing her own shelter from all of the storms and of all of the evil in the world.  
  
All of the world...everyday, she anticipated the smell of the bakeries she had heard so much about. She longed for the undying laughter in streets. She wanted to smile. She wanted people, everyone, to see her smile.  
  
But that was impossible.  
  
Other than a few people, no one knew her face. No one knew her. No one knew her smile.  
  
Her countenance was obscured by a plain, wooden mask. It was suspended in front of her face by a mere centimeter. Magic did it all – no strings attached. Nothing could remove it from her face other than her own freewill.  
  
She saw everything, but no one saw her.  
  
"Sakura," Her brother had witnessed her standing idly and alone in the well-furnished hallway. He killed her train of thought.

"Is standing something you enjoy, or is it that you're too simple-minded to move?" With a smirk, he had a look in eyes that laughed at the sight of her standing there stupidly.  
  
Sakura huffed and marched over to her 'loving' brother, Touya, and whacked him in the arm. It had no effect. Soon she was punching him on his back, his sides, and his stomach. Touya laughed at her persistent jabs and walked away. He left her standing in the hall as she was before. Touya was much too strong for her.  
  
As he turned around the corner he stubbornly said, "I'll see you at dinner, Kaijuu."  
  
But the next time she would sit at the dinner table with her family would be for well...she did not know. All she knew was that she had other plans.

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"Kero!" Sakura was in haste. She needed to pack as quickly as she could. Coming to her decision, Sakura wanted to fight. She did not know how, but she would. Her brother was leaving somewhere tonight. Most likely, she could hitch a ride from someone to the training camp.  
  
"You're really going, Sakura?!"  
  
"Of course I am! I can't watch my people die off one by one! I am their princess that is to lead them one day! I will-"  
  
"Sakura, you've been saying this for the past month. I've already memorized your whole speech! Don't you think I've had enough?" Kero was fuming and annoyed.  
  
Frustrated of not finishing her daily speech, Sakura's speed of packing grew immensely. No more dresses, no more balls, no more crowns. But the situation of men was a conflict. For years, Sakura had been pursued by a few men. Every time they were invited to her kingdom's balls, she never strayed out of her brother's eyes for those persistent men tended to flirt with her.  
  
Yes, even though there were downfalls from leaving home to the training facility, Sakura would still pursue her goal. Her goal to save her people.  
  
Oh, the mentioning of men made Sakura shudder. Every man she met had always tried to pry off the mask. Luckily, their hands were burned before there could even set a finger on it. Magic is what kept that protective mask on her.  
  
But maybe, just maybe, the men at the training camp were not so 'flirty.' They could be different from the usual pompous ones she met. They were commoners. They were completely different than the ones she met at balls. If she kept this thought in her mind on the journey there, then she will most likely survive this.  
  
Surviving. She had nearly forgotten that specific subject. How could she have let that slip her mind? Sakura's hands hesitated. She was much too focused on others that she never thought of herself and of her family. What if she died in battle? Her father and brother would never forgive her, would they?  
  
No. This wasn't right. She would live. Her kingdom would win the war. She had magic. Although it was not enough to defeat an army of men, it was still powerful than a sword.  
  
Kero looked at Sakura weirdly, for she paused every so often while packing.  
  
"I'm going with you."  
  
Sakura whipped her head around with round eyes. Her first thought was 'no,' but she thought about it. She would survive. But emotionally, she would not. She needed a friend to survive. And who was better than Kero to come with her?  
  
When Sakura nodded, Kero knew that was the OK sign for him to go.  
  
"Oh, please, no. Don't cry, Sakura!"  
  
She replied with a laugh as happy tears fell from behind her plain mask. Sakura scooped Kero up and hugged him with all her might. Tears fell on his now damp head. But he did not mind at all...for she was truly happy.

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The stars were lit like small sparks of fire as if someone had lit them for a purpose. The forest was dark as it could be. The trees were swaying with the wind. But life was within this inhabitable forest. Feet were touching the ground ever so lightly. Then they suddenly stopped.  
  
Eyes were darting around the area, searching for something.  
  
An audible sigh was heard, and next a huge plop of someone sitting on the forest floor.  
  
"We're safe now. The enemy wouldn't go this far into the forest."  
  
His name was Li Syaoran. He was the commander of this group. If he said it was safe, then it was safe. If he said it was like this, then it was like that. He was straightforward and wanted everything to have a clean cut, for he was not the type to beat around the bush. Everyone admired him for his unfailing courage and confidence. He was always the one who picked up another from the ground. 

Starting from a filthy commoner to a draft to a war, he has recevied much respect. But not from those poised and snobbish nobles. He despised them with all his heart. They had always caused trouble for him and his...family.  
  
The soldiers around him flopped down like dead birds and immediately slept.  
  
"So uh, Li. When will we leave?" This soldier was obviously shaken from the battle they had fought a few days ago. His face was unshaven. Cuts were everywhere on his chest, legs, and arms.  
  
"We'll see." Syaoran was always a man of few words.  
  
The soldier nodded and fell asleep along with the others against trees and small boulders. But Syaoran was restless. These men had lives to live for. They had wives and children. But he himself had nothing. He had lost many companions from this crimson war and they were all he had.  
  
_I've fought for so long, and with each battle I lose something and someone. I've been completely void of feeling for quite a long time now. I haven't smiled nor laughed in ages. Maybe my life has no purpose but to serve this war. I just...need to keep on living... Though I don't know why._

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Oh, Syaoran, you will soon know why. XD Awesome, so now provide me with some feedback so I'll know how I'm doing. Too dramatic? Do I need to change the format? I really don't know if there are any other fics like this out there. I've read CCS fics for quite a while, and I'm pretty sure there are similar fics, but yet not quite the same. But other than CCS fics...I don't know.

-AnonymousT


	2. From My Eyes

Hey Readers!   
Again, I thank you for clicking into my story. Remember, this is PG13...well, it mostly is in later chapters...but for now..it's not.

**Tears Come  
Chapter Two: From My Eyes**

She felt the trees racing beside her as she ran. There was a cool breeze as she swept by each blade of the tall grass that went up to her knees. She could see the patches of moonlit flowers disappearing behind her as if they were blown away by her speed.  
  
Sakura glanced at the starry sky, bordered by the leaves of the trees, to see if anything was following her. She had already climbed four of the five walls of the castle and she heard nothing. Kero was the only living being she saw in the sky.  
  
Finally reaching the final wall of the castle, Sakura swiftly climbed. As her hand touched the ledge, she felt something that would not usually be upon the wall. Her slender hand was placed upon a foot. She lifted her head as her eyes gradually widened. There, standing, was Yue.  
  
His majestic wings were spread out against the sky, creating hushed whispers. His face was coincidentally aligned with the crescent moon. The luster that surrounded him was of pure silver. His translucent hair delicately waved with the unsteady wind. His radiating light outshined the moon above him. He was practically the moon himself.  
  
Even with a mask, Yue's eyes pierced through hers. Sakura could feel the cold stare he was giving her, and it felt...terribly frosty just then.  
  
"Leaving so soon?"  
  
Yue's feathers fluttered every so often from the warm wind. His ice-blue eyes told others that he was serious and closed. His mouth did not open for just any stranger.  
  
Sakura was speechless. She cursed in her mind. How could she have forgotten Yue? Her mouth, wide open, came out with nothing but broken words.  
  
Yue was patient. But it was running thin. His eyes became even smaller than before.  
  
"Speak your mind, Sakura, and no stuttering." His face was tilted, ever so slightly, and his long arms were crossed as he leaned on one leg. His wings, now folding, and his straight mouth were still intimidating for Sakura.  
  
Tears were coming to her eyes, knowing that her efforts to rescue her people failed. Yue had caught her red-handed of leaving the castle. Still holding on to the ledge she let go, but was suddenly...  
  
Floating.  
  
Her feet, never touching the ground, were unexpectedly dangling in the air.  
  
She looked down, then looked up. Yue was pulling her up to the ledge as he let out an exasperated sigh. Kero smiled at this act of compassion and sat upon Sakura's head. Yue looked to the side, avoiding Sakura's direction, knowing that this was not the right thing to do.  
  
Sakura's tears were suddenly brushed away. She then centered Kero in a comfortable position, for her hair was quite untidy from all the running. She looked back up at Yue as he faced forward.  
  
With a simple step, Yue was on the dirt outside of the castle grounds. Sakura was shocked.

_Wasn't he just up here? How did he get down there so fast?!...I need to learn how to do that._

He then walked away into the woods as if disappearing into thin air. Sakura formed a disappointed face, thinking that Yue would at least wait for her. Kero had a similar face plastered on. Then a grin appeared.

"Let's go, Sakura, before Yue finds the campsite before us." Kero patted her head, waking from her from her disappointment.

But the truth was that he knew Yue would never leave any of them behind.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

It was finally daybreak. All the men had easily woken up. They did not have a good night's sleep. Rubbing their backs and eyes from hurt, the soldiers whined with complaint. Sleeping on nothing but hard ground and rocks was not exactly appealing to the eye.

Syaoran was obviously strained from lying so still, but he did not complain. He had been sleeping like this for the past four years. Oh, yes, he remembered those first few weeks of training. It was horrible. But war just seemingly grew on him. It was normal for him to have pain everyday, every morning.

Immediately, he ordered the other men to shut up and to gather firewood for breakfast. They needed food because he knew that it was going to be a long day.

He and a few other men went hunting for any type of animal. Be it rat, rabbit, or bird, they were all going to eat it. Luckily, Syaoran and his men spotted a plump rabbit flouncing around a few flowers. He expertly drew back his bow and arrow with a steady eye, and pierced the hare in the gut. It was not a sight to see for those who were weak in the stomach.

They headed back toward their small campsite, which consisted of seven men, and skinned the rabbit. Another soldier, Watashi, reluctantly volunteered to amputate and to cut the animal into pieces, for Syaoran needed them to learn how to survive in a war. Watashi closed his eyes so that none of the blood could spurt into them. All the other men watched with remorse as he fixed the gleaming knife upon the rabbit's neck.

"HEY! Look at yourself! You're going to cut your own finger off! Don't close your eyes, you fool!"

Watashi opened his dry eyes in fear as he gaped at the knife pointing toward his thumb. He quietly thanked Li-san for notifying him of the situation.

Amputating the hare with a back and forth motion felt as if and hour had passed. Watashi's companions watched with horror as they noticed the blood trickling over his hand.

Syaoran was never too comfortable with the sight of something dead. But he forced himself to watch people die, the people he killed. They were supposedly his enemy. But it sure did not feel that way. He did not feel triumphant of killing his enemy. He felt ashamed.

"Li-san, we're done cooking."

Syaoran gladly took the grilled meat. He glanced at the rest of his troop and their faces. Disgusted and regretful looks were smeared on. They obviously felt uneasy about eating something so innocent.

He scoffed at their foolishness. If they did not eat, then they would not survive of what was ahead of them.

"Let's go." Syaoran was done eating, and immediately stood up.

The soldiers looked at him with shock. They had not even taken more than two or three bites!

"Wait! We're not done! And where are we going?"

Shirt unbuttoned and hands in pockets, Syaoran shifted his head back and stared at them without any sympathy.

"We're leaving for training camp. We're going to be staying with them, hopefully, for the remainder of the war. And eat while you walk, if you're not done."

Lazily, Syaoran walked ahead of them at a slow pace. The other men groaned as they stood up and followed Syaoran with wobbly steps.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After what seemed like a week, the soldiers ran to the camp as soon as they saw the torches. Actually, they had walked for only fourteen hours. Syaoran stopped as they stumbled pass him. He gazed at the velvet sky with the faded moon in the east and then to the setting sun in the west.

But wait. He saw something unusually large flying over by the dark sky in the east. Syaoran fixed his gaze on the moon. He was sure he had seen a figure.

Syaoran shrugged his shoulders and consoled himself that he was just seeing things. He was most likely weary from the long walk.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Sakura was struggling.

Every step she took was painful. It felt as if a hundred pound weight was on each leg!

She could ask Kero or Yue to carry her, but she was not a princess anymore. She was commoner now!

...A commoner with two guardians and a mask.

Oh, yes, the ideal commoner. Sakura glanced at Yue then at Kero with a sour face. She wished that they would not follow her. But that was a mistake. What if she lost her way to the camp? What if something attacked her? What if she did not survive? All these "what if's" popped into her head.

A sigh escaped her lips. Kero studied her with a concerned face. Her back was slouched, her arms were hanging from her shoulders, and her legs were dragging along the ground, creating small dust storms around her feet.

Kero's examination was cut short.

"We're here." Yue pointed at the small fires that were at least two hundred feet away.

Sakura squealed with delight and jogged toward the campsite. She was finally living her dream.

At the edge of the forest of the triangular tents, Sakura placed her hands on her knees, Sakura panted as she tried to regain her breath. After about five minutes of breathing deeply, she waltzed in with a dignified strut.

The chattering ceased, their eyes were fixed on her, and anything that was held in their hands was suddenly on the dusty ground.

Sakura was in a mid-step as she halted. In the center of the camp, she felt fidgety and insecure with the men's stares. Her guardians were eyeing each man with a suspecting look. Every person was frozen.

Then one man advanced towards her. Sakura was intimidated by this man who was almost a head taller than her. She glanced around her, looking for a deliverance. But no one stirred, not even Yue or Kero. They just inspected the man that was walking toward Sakura.

_What is he doing? Why don't they go back to their own business? They're staring at me if I was some sort of monster. Hoe...everything is so quiet...and smelly._

The man stopped seven feet before her.

Sakura studied him as he studied her. She could not see his face. It was obscured by his disheveled hair - most likely from being in the war for too long. His posture had a dignified strut, but his clothes countered that pride. Oh, his clothes. Where could she begin? She first noticed his unbuttoned shirt. Was he trying to prove something? She was glad that she had a mask to conceal her face for a red tint had appeared on her cheeks. The man's slacks loosely hung at his waist with mud caked at the ankles. She was fearful of him losing his balance for his formerly black boots were untied.

As her gaze ended at his feet, it quickly shifted back from where she started - his face. The stare he gave her never faltered. It was directly targeted on her.

"May I help you," then with a dark look and a bow, the mysterious man added mockingly, "Princess?"

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Ooh! A cliffhanger! Yay! So who is this mysterious guy??? Nudge nudge...Anyways, is this going too slow? Too fast? Too short? And I'd like to thank PoisonMoon, kit, black witch from the underworld (very cool name), The Strawberryish One, Elven Scribe, and Rebellious-Cherry (I would love to read your summary).

-AnonymousT


	3. Just Because

Hello readers.  
Sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time. To let you know how I'm doing with my stories, you can go to my bio. You'll find all the information there. Oh, and I got a question if Tomoyo is going to be in this story. And, yes, she will be. Just later on. But I must tell you that there's no E/T in here. They're just going to be good friends... Enjoy.

**Tears Come  
Chapter Three: Just Because**

All was quiet.

The crickets were singing that night loudly, the fires crackled against the wind, and Sakura just stood there as if she were a lifeless doll. A large gulp descended down her throat while wringing her hands in agitation. She felt awkward in the midst of all these _common_ men. Her feet were as if they were bound together with uncomfortable ropes. She was almost crippled from this curtain of silence.

As soon as the men heard the one standing before her say that she was the princess of their land, their jaws hung from their hinges. There was a slight murmur of voices that sounded like the wind. She saw the soldiers looking at one another with curious and incredible looks.

"Uh's" and "Um's" fell out of her mouth. Her eyes were set on the top of bowing man's head. He was still there in the same position for almost more than five minutes...seven feet away. Sakura's breathing induced to short, labored breaths.

Syaoran was a toy soldier. His body and legs could not stand this much longer.

Hushed snickers came Sakura's way as she just stood idiotically in the middle of the congregation. She pursed her lips together in embarrassment.

Careful not to make any sudden moves, Kero floated behind her cheek and gently whispered in her ear," Sakura, you've been in many similar situations. Just calm down and say something."

Small nods came from Sakura thanking Kero in her mind. Silence reigned once again. She took a deep, confident breath with the soldiers following her every move. But her confident breath vanished and it was replaced by a weak voice.

"Could you escort me to the authorities of this camp?"

A bursting laughter came forth from the quiet crowd of men. Sakura shifted her head to the outrageous sound. Syaoran's downcast eyes flickered sideways toward the approaching man

"They've gone away!" A barbaric and filthy man took long strides toward the princess. "You and your friends here to take their place?" From fifteen feet away, Sakura could already smell his vulgar stench. "'Cause I'll gladly help you...adjust." The foul man's last word blew Sakura away. Her mouth was opened in disgust, although no one could see her reaction. On the other hand, the creepy man's lips framed bare, yellow teeth; some were unaccounted for. His egotistic advance did not stop from her disregard of him.

_Ah... Why is he walking toward me? Don't come any closer! Or else Yue will...  
_Oh, Sakura did not want to think about it.

Thirteen feet away.... Ten feet.... Eight feet....

The dirty man stopped dead in his tracks. He had roamed too closely for Yue's taste. Yue's magical bow and arrow were in his hands instantly. A faded silver reflected off of the bow. The distasteful stare that Yue gave the man was as if it was the essence of death. Not knowing what to do, the man made no thought of moving. He was tied down like a sickly dog.

His whole body was enveloped in terror of losing his life. The trembling increased. His eyes seemed to bulge out at any second like a helpless hare on the verge of life and death.

Yue tugged the illuminated string along with the arrow to its full extent and fixed the point of the arrow on the man's excess neck.

"You're out of your palace. It's not necessary to kill your own soldiers during a time when you need them the most." The other man who was still in his bowing position, Sakura noted, had a strong-willed voice as he said these words to her guardian, Yue.

The bow lowered and was pointed down in between Yue's feet. His head swiftly whirled around to his left, glowering at the boyish man because of stealing his attention away from his prey. He seemed as if to destroy with those icy fire eyes reflecting the moon's pale fulgor. They shrank into snake-like slits.

"What is your name, _peasant_?" Yue's enunciated the final word haughtily to demonstrate his capability of the life of this feeble, _ordinary_ boy.

This _boy_ finally raised his head up, but was still in his bowing position. They peered into each other's souls.

"I dare not tell, for my _peasant_ name could defile your imperial and taintless mind," said this enigmatic man, who itched to mention some other taunts. But reluctantly, he lowered his head, once again, and faced the muddy ground.

Soldiers cackled with mirth as Syaoran declared the outlawed statement. They whispered to each other saying," Li-san's the only one who'd say somethin' like that." Syaoran withheld a chuckle as he could hear Yue grumbling incoherent words.

Joining Syaoran's joke, the soldiers created some of their own. They threw their fists in the air repeating some different versions of Syaoran's statement. However, most did not make sense at all. But that made Yue even more furious.

Yue's hands tightened around his bow and arrow, ready to annihilate anything in his path.

Sakura was quite a bit offended by this man's words, for she was also royalty. With a touch of hands, Sakura pleaded softly for Yue to not cause any ruckus. Knowing that Yue was able to hold in his anger, she began to retaliate. A curtain of silence fell over the men. Her lips opened cautiously. Eager ears listened for the princess' voice. Would she command them to stop? Command her guardians to annihilate every one of them for insulting her majesty? That would be a massacre! The soldiers trembled at the thought.

"I have come here to serve you, to assist you in this kingdom's war, to risk my life for yours," Sakura's quavering voice soon became dauntless all of a sudden, knowing that she had the men's undivided attention. "And, here, you taunt me with words that do nothing and that will _never_ mean anything."

Tension filled the air. A few whispers could be heard among the soldiers once again. Not one person dared to speak up. Neither Yue nor Kero could contemplate of what to say for support. Sakura had practically summarized everything that was muddled in their heads. Never knowing that Sakura could say something so persuasive, they glanced at each other in amazement at what had fallen out of her mouth.

Suddenly, the man spoke up, still in his curtsy. "Forgive me for starting these unwholesome antics. We'll take your words to heart, Princess." With one arm across his abdomen and the other behind his back, he stepped backwards _three_ steps carefully from his toes to his heels. He then wheeled around, showing his back to Sakura.

Now Sakura's mind was evaluating what had just occurred before her. Questions popped up out of nowhere.

The man walked into the woods. But for a brief second, Sakura sighted him turn his face to the side to look at..._her_. She squinted her eyes to make out a soft, miniscule smile appearing on his handsome face. Not one person had detected that moment. Everyone was too busy to notice as they came closer to say their apologies. Yue and Kero were keeping the men's distance.

That man faced forward to his destination as he was before. Then disappeared from everyone's sight into the shadowy forest.

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Sakura giggled as a few soldiers advanced towards her to say their apologies. They were so humble. Many of them stuttered in embarrassment as they asked for forgiveness. Some had even offered to help her with setting up her tent. But the ones that had assisted her, had wondered why her tent was the same as their plain and simple ones. She had shrugged in reply with a pleasant laugh.

While constructing her tent, she would always glance at that man. He had been in that forest for about an hour so, but he had returned and casually leaned against a large trunk of a tree.

Finally, the soldiers stopped coming up to her. She now sat inside her tent while Yue and Kero seated themselves outside of it. The shelter was much too small for two people. Besides, it would be awkward to be so close to Yue while sleeping. He was practically a man. So it was settled that Kero would sleep inside for he was a "stuffed animal," as Yue would always say.

Sakura fell back into her cushioned pillow. She thought more about that man. The soldiers had mentioned his name before... Li-san, was it? Why the '-san?' Was he that significant to the men? Her brow furrrowed in concentration. How was it that he knew to stand exactly seven feet away, and then step backwards three steps before he turned around? He never lifted his head up until he was joking with Yue. But right after, his head went straight back down. How did he know how to act in front of _royalty_? Who was thi-

Horses' hooves outside her tent suddenly interrupted her train of thought.

But when the sound instantly halted, there was nothing at all. The chatter and the laughter of men had disappeared. Those blatant grasshoppers were at it again. Did Yue and Kero not notify her of something? They _were_ lounging outside her tent, were they not? Sakura did not overhear them exchanging words. No way would there be a battle now. She did not make out the slice of any swords.

Quizzically, Sakura popped her head out between the flaps of her beige tent.

The soldiers were all on one knee with their heads bowed. Yue and Kero were nowhere to be found.

Wait...she heard horses. Where were they now? The sound of the pounding hooves seemed to be growing distant. Her eyes wandered.

There she saw a man - a very familiar man. Black hair... Tall stature... On the contrary, he rode a majestic stallion that was coincidentally a carbon copy of her brother's... Oh, how she loved to ride her bro-

_Her brother's..._

Sakura choked on her breath, forming an audible peeping sound. Everyone turned to look at her. Her head sunk to its lowest level, releasing an uneasy laugh. She glanced around and saw that they began to chat of the random noise that leaked out from her. The murmurs spread. They grew into amused sniggers and snorts.

Not wanting her unexpected brother to turn around, she made bizarre hand motions signaling the men to stop their noise. But because of her strange hand motions, their chuckles transformed into howling laughter.

Sakura glanced to her right, sighting that mysterious man from before. The one she had been musing over. He never looked up. His head was still facing the dirt with one knee in the grass.

Disappointed with her lack of attention, Sakura immediately looked back at the men who were laughing… just… a minute ago. And those hooves... why did they stop? They were in their kneeling position as before. How come they did not treat her with the same respect? _Concentrate_.

Reluctantly, Sakura looked up at her brother who had always told her to stay in the palace. And what she saw was him, staring right back at her.

_Oh no. Oh no. He sees me! He's staring at me! I need to hide!_

Innocently, Sakura crawled back in her lonely tent. She scooted to the back of the tent and buried her head in her knees which were secured by her quivering arms. Praying that this was just some kind of nightmare... Praying that that man was not her brother, but just another soldier...

However, that was not the truth. She understood that he came here to fight, not to waste his time searching for her. Oh, what a surprise for him to find her here above all places.

Touya popped his head in the tent and saw The Kaijuu shaking. He sighed. He had always known that The Kaijuu had desired to fight more than anything in the world. But she had to go back home, where his father was. He had been pacing around the throne room for hours because of her. How troublesome!

Soldiers endeavored to peek in, but with the heir to the throne kneeling there, they were a bit unsure.

"Oy, Kaijuu! Get up! You better not be crying! Or else... I'm going to take you back home."

Sakura instantly moved over to her brother's head as she laughed with glee and wrapped her arms around him. Touya shut his eyes tightly as his body was thrown backward by the pressure. Slowly, he opened them finding The Kaijuu embracing him securely. Seeing all the men smirking at him, Touya shoved her off as she clung onto him like a stubborn crab. With his flustered face, the men chuckled.

As each soldier passed by Touya, giving him some manly pats, Sakura clutched her brother's arm in refuge. But that man... Li-san... He never made a sound, nor did he ever smile. It was just that one time he did. Just that once. And it was for _her_.

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Wow. How cute.  
Anyways, since the school year is coming, I'll be updating slowly, but **surely**. If you have any questions or comments, just review the fic. If you want me to reply to you if you have a question, email me.

-AnonymousT


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